THE ZEBRA WAXBILL. 107 



Of course there is every probability that it is a reed- frequenting 

 species like its congeners, that it breeds after the rains, building a 

 large domed nest with covered entrance tube ; that it usually occurs 

 in flocks, excepting when breeding, and that it seeks its food on the 

 ground. These may almost be regarded as certainties, but before 

 they can be added to the life-history of the bird, they must have been 

 recorded by some eye-witness. 



The illustrations are from skins in the author's collection. 



THE ZEBRA WAXBILL. 



Sporceginthus subjlavus, VlKILL. 



THB Zebra Waxbill is locally distributed throughout the whole of 

 the Ethiopian region, where it is generally met with in flocks. 

 Common though it is, comparatively little seems to have been published 

 respecting its habits in a wild state. 



The general colour of the male above is olive-brown ; the lower 

 back and upper tail-coverts crimson ; the tail feathers smoky, with 

 browner edges; the central ones entirely brown, the outer ones fringed 

 with white at the ends ; lores and a broad eyebrow, which partly 

 encloses the eye, crimson ; chin bright red ; feathers below eye, sides 

 of face, and throat bright yellow, shading into bright reddish orange 

 on the breast and then gradually passing into orange yellow again on 

 the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; sides of body greenish grey, 

 barred with buff"; under wing-coverts greenish grey, edged with whitish; 

 flight feathers smoky with greyish edges. Length 3A inches. Beak 

 crimson, the ridge and cutting edge of upper mandible blackish ; legs 

 flesh-coloured ; iris crimson. 



The hen chiefly differs from the cock in the absence of the 

 crimson eyebrow, the greyer cheeks and the paler yellow and orange 

 of the under surface, excepting on the under tail-coverts, which are as 

 bright as in the male. Length 3^ inches. 



Much the same may be said of this as of its predecessors; it is, 



